India flags constricted energy trade, selective curbs at East Asia Summit

Amid US pressure on India to end its purchases of Russian oil, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday lamented the “increasingly constricted” nature of global energy trade at the East Asia Summit (EAS) in KualaLumpur, saying it has led to “market distortions”, unreliable supply chains, and restricted market access.

- ARCHIS MOHAN

Delivering India’s “national statement” at the EAS, where he represented Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jaishankar alluded to the West’s double standards on Russian crude imports. “Principles are applied selectively, and what is preached is not necessarily practised,” he said.

Jaishankar has previously criticised the selective nature of US tariffs on India — particularly the additional 25 per cent duty imposed by Washington —while sparing several European countries and China, also major consumers of Russian energy. India has described the US action as “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable”.